Terminal connecter for spark plugs



' l, l, 91 June 7,1927. A. CHAMPION 63 l vTERMINAL CONNECTER FOR SPARK PLUGS Filed Oct. 28, 1921 Patented clune 3, 15927.

' urrsn STATES remar PATENT orrlcs.

ALBERT @H LIEIGN, 0F ELINT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO A C SPARK PLUG UOMPANY, @F FLIIN'T,` IllIGIEI'lIGAIl',y A `CORPORA'JJION 0F MICHIGAN.

TERMINAL CONNECTER IEOR SPARK PLUGS.

Applcationnled ctober 28, 1921. SerialNo. 511,131.

Myy invention relates to terminal conneci ters designed for use with electricsupply conductors for connecting the conductor or cable to a device to ywhich electricity is to be supplied,and particularly to connecters or/ `spark plugs of the engine to the said plugs.

The principal object of my invention is to provide an improved terminal connecter which is readily attachable to and detachable from the inner insulated electrode ot the spark plug to which-current is supplied, and

which is yieldablyhcld inengagement with the said electrode. y

' A further object of my invention is to provide an improved connecter for electric slip-` ply cables which issimple in construction and which may be readily and cheaplymanuactured at a" minimum of expense, and which may be readily attached to anddetached from the plug electrode with which it is connected.

W ith the above and other objects of iny vention in view, my invention consists in the improved terminal for electric Supply c on- 'ductors illustrated in the accompanying drawing and hereinafter described and claimed; it being appreciated, however, that the drawing is for illustrative purposes only,

and that my invention includes such yvaria-y tions and modications of the particular em bodiment thereof illustrated as come within the scope of t e concluding claims.

Referring now to the drawing wherein the preferred embodiment ,of my invention is illustrated Figure l is a view showing my improved connecting terminal in perspective, and connected with the central electrode of a spark plug.

Figure 2 is agvicw showingtheI terminal as seen from a position below the same, considering the connecter in the position -in which it is shown in Figure l.

Figure 3` is a view showing a slightly modified form of connecter in section upon a central plane extending longitudinally thereof:

Figure 4 is a similar central sectional view showing my improved terminal connectery modified as to some of the features thereof.

Figure 5 is a view showing the connecter shown in Figure 4 as seen from beneath the same. Figure 6 is a view showing a connecter similar ,to that shown in Figures l and 2 but in which a modified plan is employed for forming a connection between the conducting core of the cable and the terminal.

Figure 7 is a view showing my improved connecter as comprising twolprincipal parts, instead of one as in the other views.

Referring to the drawing, and first to Figures 1 and 2 thereof, my improved terminal connecter is there shown ,as formed from a single sheet metal blank of proper form bent andy shaped to provide a body por -tion 7 adapted to fit about the insulating covering 8 of the supply cable through which a current ofy electricity is supplied to a spark plug-9 having a central insulated electrode which is provided with a head l0 at its upper end; and whichV blank is also provided with aportion which, after being properly bent and v, shaped, provides a cup-shaped socket 1l which fits over the head of the central insulated electrode of the plug; the hottom of the socket being open to admit the head as shown.

' It will beappreciated that in the form ot my invention abovejreferre'd to al single piece blank of proper form is bent and shaped to provide the body portion 7 and socket ll, and that the portion 7 thereof is forced into holding engagement with the insulating cov ering 8 of the supply cable to thereby properly attach the connecter as a whole to the cable; the shaping or' the blank and the atv tachment of the same 'to thevsupply conducsired, beY provided with interlocking ele-- ments, altho ordinarily the stiffness of the material from which the connecter ismade will be suilicient to insure azsulcientlyrm attachment of the connecter to the sup ly conductor. The body. portion is provi ed ico7 los

' i casein spark plugs.

with a spur 13 cut free from the metal there y of and iorced inward so that the point ythereof will engage the conducting core 14 of the supply cable, which is ordinarily made up of a considerable number of wires of `small ldiameter, to thereby establish an electrical connection between the said core and the terminal connecter as a whole.

The socket portion 11 of \my improved terminal connecter is hollowand of a size sutieient to receive the upper end or head 10 of the central electrode of the spark plug, as best shown iii/Figure 1, and said socket is provided adjacent its open side or end with two oppositely disposed slots 1st, 1d inthe walls thereof, which are substantially parallel with the edge of the wall about the opening; and the reference numeral 15 designates a ttl-shaped holding member formed from spring wire and the sides 16 of which lie within the slots 14; and are forced by the inherent `resilience ci said member into contact with narrow edge portions of the wall oit the socket portion at the ends of the slots aforesaid; so that, as clearly appears in Figure 2, the said sides, that is the sides et the U-shaped holding member, lie upon and extend across opposite sides of the interior of the socket. `When the parts' are assem bled the resilient holding member is therefore, or may be, in a stateof more or less initial stressfacting to torce the sides ofthe same against tired stops provided by the portions of the wall ot the socket portion which are located at the ends of the slots in said socket portion. I'iihe tree ends of the holding member 15 are bent inward as shown at 17;, 17 to thereby hold the said holding member in permanent assembled relation with the connect/er and the sides thereof within the slots 111, while at the ysaine time permitting the said sides to move apart from one another as the conductor as a whole is forced over oi removed from the enlarged head 1() of the central electrode; which head has a shoulder 6l beneath which thesides 16 of the holding 'member lie wheny the connectcr is attached to the plug.

socket. 11 as mere contact between the parts, as distinguished trom a joint in whicli the parts are held together by force, is sutiicient in cases where a high tension current ot electricity passes between the parts as in the At the same time it will be appreciated that the terminal connecter as a whole is prevented Jfrom becoming disengaged from the electrode by the side portions 16 of the U-shaped holding member 15 which lie beneath the shoulder 6 of the head 10; which side portionsseparate slightly as the connecter is forced onto the hea to conneet the conductor with the plug, and when the same is pulled upward to disconnect the conductor from the plug.

manici,

y 1n the form of my invention shown in Figures 1 and 2, the terminal as a whole is held upon the supply cable by engagement between the body portion thereof and the exterior of' the insulating covering of the cable, while in Figure 3 the, connecter is provided with a contracted tubular portion 18 of small diameter which tits within the insulating covering 19 and through which the stranded conducting core 2() and the supply cable extends; the free end of the said core being shown as passed through a hole in the socket portion 21 of the terminal and soldered to the metallic wall of said socket at ,the upper end thereof, as shown at 22 in Figure 2. 'The socket 21 is otherwise the same as the socket 11 hereinbefore referred to, and the connecter as a whole is held in place relative to the head 10 of the insulated -plug electrode by a resilient holding member 15, the same as in Figures land 2.

Figures land 5 illustrate a form of my invention in which the connecter' receives the stranded conducting core 23 of the supply cable and titswithin the insulating cover 211 thereof, the saine as in Figure 3, but in which engagement between the walls of the connecter and the insulating covering and core is relied upon to hold the connecter in place and to establish an electrical connection between' the core and connecter. Also, in this form of my invention, the socket portion 2G of the terminal is providedwith a separate annular supporting member 27 which is securedA in place within the open lower end oft the socket by inturned ledges 28, or otherwise; land which supporting member serves as a support for a resilient U-shaped spring member 29 similar to the holding member 15 and the sidesBO of which extend across the opening in the lower end of the socket 26 and in the supporting ring;l 2T, so that said sides may spread and pass over t he enlarged head of the plug electrode as the connecter is connected therewith or detached therefrom as hereinbefcre eX- plained at. length. lu' this form of my invention it will be seen that the resilient holdmg member which prevents the connecter ltrom becoming disengaged from the plug drawing.

In the form of my invention illustrated in lun ` igeaaioi Figure E a diierentzschenie is provided ,for

Letters Yl-Jatent:

establishing an electrical connection between the stranded conducting core ofthe sup# ply cable and thev terminal connecter,such connection being provided by removing the insulating covering 3.3 adjacent the extrem ity et core wires 'and folding sai-d wires backward, as shown at y34;-'.over the surface of the insulating, covering.; whereupon and as the bodyportion' of the connecter is forced into engagement with the saidy covering in assembling' the' parts electrical-contact will beestablished between the 'core lWires and the connecter because Vof the resulting eontaet'between' the parts. In this forni of roy invention `the soclret.- portion 36 and resilient securing inexnber 37 are shown the saine time the connecter as a whole while Y litting loosely upon the head of the central as similar to the socket ll and holding member l', altbo it will be appreciated that the internally located form o'iVresilient-holding member illustrated in Figures'fland 5 may be employed es'.,preierred;-`

lt will be appreciated that in all'the forms oi my invention hereinbefore -ileserfibed the terminal connecter is linade from a sheet metal blanh7 o' proper 'form whichis shaped by )the use oi suitable dies so asptoprordevthe socket `and body portions yti1ere'of, the connecter as a whole being one which may be made entirely by stamping 'and bending processes and one in which no machine work 1s necessary; trom which it follows that the ycost thereof will be reduced to a minimum and that the saine, being vmade 'from sheet metal which is tough material, will be not likely to become broken when in use. At

electrode oit the plugis nevertheless held in permanent engagement' therewith by the ref silient holding members or 29, the action of which; hdwever, is such that the connecter as a wholetmay be readily connected with and disconnectedl rom the plug. y

Whilepreierably made in afsinglepiece my improved connecter may be made of two pieces 38, 39 as'shown in Figure 7; each. piece being so shaped as to provide half the-y socket and halthe body portion of the ter-A minal. These two parts may be .secured .to gether in various ways as. by tongues 40 `at the edge of one which extend through loops 41 at the'edge of the'other; and the resilient holding rnenobermay obviously be either ot the completely enclosed formA shownin Fig'-v ures 4 and 5, or of the form shown in Fig-v ures l to 3 wherein the said member may be put in place by merely spreading and pass' ing it over the lower edge of 'the socket, and

may be replaced by a new Vholding member`v if such a course becomes necessaryor desirable.

Having thus described and explained my invention I claim and' desire to secure by LWA terminal connecter iorrned :from sheet metal and comprising a tubular body portion adapte-d to be secured to a supply cable, and asoclet portion integral with said body portion and arranged substantially at right angles thereto,'and having lan opening leading thereinto, and the plane of which opening is in a' plane substantially parallel with the axis of said tubular body portion; ay resilient lil-shaped holding menif ber arranged substantially parallel with 'the opening aforesaid, and the side portions of which extend across said opening at the sid-es thereof; and lined stops carried by said socket portion and with which said side por.

tions engage when the parte are assembled. 2. A terminal connecter formed 'from sheet -rnetal and comprising a tubular body porti'on and means for securing it to va supply cable, and a hollow .socket portion integral withsaid body portion and arranged substantially at right angles thereto, and vhaving an opening leading thereinto, said socket portion havingA bwo oppositely disposed slots located adjacent said opening and said openyingfbeing in aplane` substantially'parallel with the axis of said tubular body portion; a resilient holding member Usha'ped in form and lthe sides of whichllie within the slots aforesaid ,and extend across said opening at the sides thereof; the ends of said slots forming stops which are grasped by the side portions of said holding member to thereby `hold the parts in assembled relation.

posed slots located adjacenty said opening' and said o ening being in a plane substantially para lel with the axis of said tubular body portion; raf-resilient holding ymember U-shaped in form'and the sidesof which lie within thev slots aforesaid and extend `across said opening at the sides thereof; the

ends of said slots forming stops which are gras d by thel side' portions of said holding mem er to thereby hold Athe parts inassem- {bled` relation; the extremities of the sides o'fsaid Ufshapedholding member being bent .inwardtoward'one another and adapted to enga e the 'exterior wall' of said socket"toA there y holdsaidholding member in place.V

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

.ALBERT CHAMPION. 

